Non-rotating kelly sections are shown in a drilling device in U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,922. The weight of the device, which does not have a power downcrowding mechanism, forces the auger into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,857 shows a drilling device with a single kelly bar supported from the end of a boom of a track type vehicle. The single kelly bar slides through a housing of a rotatable guide which rotates the kelly bar. The rotatable guide is supported frame attached to the lower portion of the boom. No means of downcrowding is provided. Another rig with telescoping kelly sections is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,468. The outer kelly section slides axially within a guidance sleeve supported at its top end by the free end of the boom and at its bottom end by a hydraulic cylinder attached to the track type vehicle. Telescopic sections and control are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,969.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,974 shows telescoping kelly sections driven by a rotary table. The housing of the rotary table is mounted at the lower end of relatively tall derrick. The kelly sections when retracted are surrounded by the derrick structure. Downcrowding is achieved by a mechanism which includes a drum having two cables wound in opposite senses thereon. The drum is hydraulically driven. A pulley system is mounted on the top of the derrick and another pulley system is mounted on the top of the outer kelly section. The pulley systems and the derrick would make it difficult to interchange the kelly sections since free access to the top of the kelly sections is not possible in such a rig.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,499 shows a drilling device supported on the end of a boom of a track type vehicle. The drilling device is of the drill mast type with a single kelly bar which slides through a housing of a final drive unit. The axis of the mast and kelly bar appear to be the same. Because the mast is directly over the kelly bar a relatively high overhead or ceiling is required for drilling vertical holes.
A more useful downcrowdable augering apparatus having kelly sections is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,091. The apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,091 is very useful in sites having low overhead or ceiling. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,091 the kelly rotating means is bolted directly to the outer kelly section and as a consequence the outer kelly section is not permitted to slide through the kelly rotating means. Since the top of the kelly assembly is closed changing and/or replacing the kelly sections is more difficult than if the top of the outer kelly section were open.
Another useful downcrowdable augering apparatus having kelly sections is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,277 which is concerned with making such apparatus and rigs readily adaptable to mounting on a wide variety of vehicles ranging from light truck beds a to large track type vehicles including caterpillar type machines. The invention facilitates maintenance and changing of kelly assemblies by its unobstructed access to the top of the kelly assembly. For example the top of the kelly assembly is free of rotary drive mechanisms and pulleys associated therewith. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,877,091 and 5,746,277 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,946 discloses an excavation apparatus which can be adapted to a variety of vehicles including smaller excavating machines such as backhoes and small trucks. The excavation apparatus can be quickly and easily connected and disconnected to vehicles by a one or two persons with a minimum of tools thereby allowing such vehicles to be converted as needed. For example, the smaller rear bucket on backhoes can quickly removed and the excavation apparatus installed in place of the rear bucket in about twenty minutes including the required hydraulic lines. The excavation apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,946 does not require a winch for letting out and retracting the cable. Nor does it require a reel for storing the retracted cable.
Patent Application Pub. No. 2003/0051888 discloses a hydraulic drilling rig having a leader on a side that has means for downcrowding on a boom. The boom is telescopic but the leader is not. An auger motor, which is mounted on the opposite side of the leader from the boom, powers a drill string. The auger motor is fixed to the leader and does not move relative to the leader. The rig does not have telescopic shaft means but rather a drill string that can be lengthened by adding drill string sections. There is no lower bearing for the drill string.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,684 for a roof bolter or roof bolt installation apparatus for use in mines discloses reelless extension apparatus that can also be used for drilling holes or coring purposes without installation of roof bolts. The invention supports a mine roof while holes are drilled in the roof and roof bolts are set. A drilling unit is slidably mounted on rods. The drilling unit includes a hydraulic motor that can be fitted to a drill rod, a roof bolt or a nut.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,712 discloses a rock-drilling machine. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a telescope feed beam having an outer portion and an inner telescopic portion. A feed cylinder with a piston is connected to the outer portion. A cylinder is connected to a feed roller. Around the feed roller is a feed wire or chain that displaces the rock-drilling machine along the feed beam. The telescopic second portion of the feed beam is connected to an end of a rod of an extension cylinder. The other end of the extension cylinder is connected to the outer portion of the feed beam. A drill rod is attached to the rock-drilling machine. A distal end of the drill rod is supported by the inner telescopic portion of the feed beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,457 discloses a derrick for a drilling rig having a mast pivotally mounted on a truck bed. The mast contains a guide tube slidably contained within the mast. A drill driving top head is attached near the bottom portion of guide tube through an elongated slot in the wall of the mast. The top of a long drill pipe is attached to drill driving top head. A bit is attached to the bottom of the long drill pipe. A bottom portion of the long drill pipe is guided in a bearing table. The guide tube is hydraulically driven up and down the mast by a multistage ram having an upper ring-mounted head and a pin, which drives a top plate of the guide tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,993 discloses a rig mounted on the distal end of a boom of a backhoe. A travel block with an attached auger motor is attached to a square inner body that is driven down a square outside body by chains. One end of each of the chains is attached to the base of square outside body and the other end of each chain is attached to the travel block. The travel block is raised two feet for every foot of extension of a piston rod. An upper end of an extender rod is connected to the auger motor and a lower end to an auger. The lower end of the extender rod is guided by a stabilizer. The extender rod is not telescopic.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,234 discloses a ground-drilling device used for assembly of drill strings for drilling into the earth. The device can be configured in six different arrangements on a track. Since many of the features of the six embodiments are the same, the comments below concern the first embodiment.
The main components of the ground-drilling device are:
an elongated mount having a first linear track;
a mount head on the fore distal end of the elongated mount for receiving, assembling and disassembling drill pipe sections;
a main carriage guided by the first linear track, the main carriage having a second linear track;
a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit for driving the main carriage;
a forward subcarriage and a rear subcarriage, both of which are guided by the second linear track, the forward subcarriage carries a first drilling unit for rotating an outer drill pipe, the rear subcarriage carries a second drilling unit for rotating and striking an inner drill pipe that extends within the outer drill pipe, the rear subcarriage is clamped to the second track; and
a second hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 44 for driving the forward subcarriage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,124 discloses an earth drilling apparatus mounted on a vehicle for drilling holes for utility poles. The vehicle has a rotatable boom that is attached to the drilling apparatus. The apparatus has an elongated guide means which is attached to the boom with a bar through a bore in ear members. A drill head is attached to a plate means that is slidably attached to a guide means. Mounted on the guide means is a rotary motor with a rotatable shaft to which a drill pipe is attached with a rock bit. A percussion tool can be attached between the rotatable shaft and the rock bit. The apparatus has means for advancing and retracting the drill head along the guide means that comprises a hydraulic motor that drives an upper rotatable sprocket, which drives a chain, and a lower rotatable sprocket. One end of the chain is attached in a first direction to the plate means at a tab. The other end of the chain is also attached to plate means in a similar manner as the first end but in an opposite direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,169 for exploration-sampling drilling system for obtaining multiple samples of subterranean mineral deposits over a grid pattern for evaluation. The drilling rig is designed for any kind of geological formation. Holes in the range of 4 to 7 inches in diameter to depths up to a few thousand feet can be drilled. The drilling rig has a drill string comprising a drill head adapter, intermediate pipe sections, a first section of drill string assembly, and a lower adapter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,909 discloses an earth drilling apparatus having an extendable mast and a rotation head for driving a drill string for drilling deep holes to great depths. The apparatus has an extensible mast having at least two parts namely a ramp or lower fixed part, and a slide or upper movable part. The fixed part comprises two lower posts welded to a drilling table with an aperture for centering a drill string or drill. The upper movable part comprises two upper beams that slide along the lower posts. Raising and lowering of the upper portion of the mast is by means of two double action jacks or cylinders located in the interior of the lower posts. A rotation head is slidably mounted on the two upper beams. Means is provided for synchronizing the movements of raising and lowering the upper portion of the mast with the raising and lowering of the rotation head. Although the mast is extendable it is not telescopic.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,578 discloses a drilling apparatus having a telescopic shaft that can be fitted with an auger. Hydraulic pressure applied at a first port retracts three telescopic square sections of the apparatus. The three telescopic square sections are referred to as a shaft. Hydraulic pressure applied at a second port extends the several telescopic square sections of the apparatus. A motor powers a rotary which rotates the outermost telescopic square section. The length of the stroke is approximately equal to the length of the outermost telescopic square section minus the length of a shuttle-barrel. An auger is attached to the lower end of the innermost telescopic square section. All three sections of the telescopic sections rotate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,804 discloses a drilling apparatus with two chucks, namely an axial movable chuck and a stationary chuck. The stationary chuck grips a drill string when supplied with pressure, and the stationary chuck grips the drill string when relieved of pressure fluid. During inserting or withdrawing of the drill string, the supply conduits of the chucks are connected to either the supply conduits of the feed motor so that, automatically, the chucks operate concordantly with the feed motor. The drill pipe is not telescopic.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,410,959 discloses a rig for drilling holes up to about 30 feet. The rig has a drill head for rotating a square spindle that is slidably contained in a slotted tube having a longitudinal slot. A yoke stabilizes the top of the square spindle and rotatably holds it. The yoke extends through the longitudinal slot in the tube and is connected to a means for raising the square spindle and an auger with its load of dirt from an excavated hole. A spindle raising means comprises the yoke that is secured to an endless chain running between several sprockets including a feed sprocket. A hoisting hydraulic cylinder, which is supported by the slotted tube, has a piston that is connected to a rack bar. As the piston and the rack bar are raised, they rotate a pinon and a sprocket, which in turn drives the endless chain, which raises the yoke. Neither the square spindle nor the slotted tube are telescopic.
U.S. Publication or Pat. Nos. 2003/0051888, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,105,684, 5,884,712, 5,697,457, 5,592,993, 5,431,234, 5,273,124, 5,213,169, 4,020,909, 3,768,578, 3,613,804 and 2,410,959 do not disclose the combination of a telescopic auger shaft means with a non-rotating telescoping outer and inner kelly sections wherein the rotating auger shaft means is surrounded by the non-rotating telescoping outer and inner kelly sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,655 discloses a drilling machine having a reducing transmission for use underground. The drilling machine has a hydraulic motor and an electric motor that power the transmission. The transmission comprises a first and second planetary stages that provide “slow running” and “fast running” of a drilling rod that is connected to an output chuck of the transmission. The motors and transmission do not go downhole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,296 discloses a hydraulically powered drilling rig for mounting on a vehicle such as a flat bed truck. The rig has a mast assembly that can be raised vertically to an on-hole position. The mast assembly is square in cross section and contains a feed hydraulic cylinder assembly with a piston rod. The lower end of the piston rod is bolted to a cradle that is fixed to a mast link. The upper end of the hydraulic cylinder assembly is fixed to the mast assembly. The hydraulic cylinder assembly drives the mast assembly slidably along the mast link.
A rotary assembly is mounted inside the lower end of the mast assembly. The mast assembly comprises a variable displacement motor that is fixed to a spacer plate in the lower end of the mast assembly. Connected to the variable displacement motor is a two speed gear box that is connected to a planetary gear that is connected to a spindle adapter that is connected to a spindle.
The variable displacement motor, the gear box, the planetary shift and the spindle adapter are mechanically linked, however, the structure is not further described. The rotary assembly turns the drill rods.
When the mast assembly reaches its lowermost position during drilling, it is raised, and another section of drill rod is added.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,296 does not disclose a telescopic shaft between the variable displacement motor and the two speed gear box and the planetary gear.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,914 discloses a gear train connecting an input shaft to an output shaft. The gear trains comprises two unidirectional driving clutches whereby reversing the rotation of the input shaft will cause the output shaft to turn at a different speed but at the same direction. The torque to output shaft is also changed. A motor drives the input shaft. It would appear that if the gear box is to travel downhole the motor also would have to travel downhole and thus the power lines to the motor hydraulic would also have to go downhole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,697 discloses a transmission comprising planetary gears used with a well drilling derrick. The transmission rotates the upper end of the drill string. The output shaft of the motor is connected to the input shaft of the transmission and the output shaft transmission is connected to the drill string. The motor and transmission do not go downhole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,188 discloses a speed increasing transmissions and a speed decreasing transmissions for use in a derrick. The derrick contains a rotary table or “rotary”. The transmissions are secured in and rotated by the rotary. The kelly slides axially through the transmissions. Both of the transmissions have epicyclic gearing that involve first and second stage planet gears that differ only in the arrangement of the gearing.
In the case of the speed decreasing transmission, the housing of the transmission is rotated by the rotary. The housing has a downwardly extending portion that serves as a sun gear between the a anchor ring gear and first stage planet gears. The pins of the first stage planetary gears are journaled at their lower ends by an outwardly extending portion of a second stage sun gear. Between the second stage sun gear and the anchor ring gear are the second stage planet gears. The pins of the second stage planetary gears are journaled at their lower ends by an outwardly extending portion of a sleeve member. The sleeve member rotates at a slower speed and rotates a bushing member which rotates the kelly. The rotary and speed increasing and speed decreasing transmissions do not travel downhole. U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,188 hereby is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for its disclosure of planetary gears mechanisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,857 discloses a boring rig with a jib and frame that carries a guide having a rotatable drive mechanism powered by four hydraulic motors. A kelly bar passes through and is rotated by the guide. The guide can not travel downhole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,839 discloses a planetary gear transmission secured from the lower end of an arm 18 deployed from a boom or derrick. The transmission comprises a hydraulic powered rotary motor unit secured to an upper portion and a downwardly extending output shaft. The speed of the output shaft can be shifted manually with a transmission handle or lever. Kelly bar usage is not disclosed. Travel of the transmission downhole may not be possible with this rig. External hydraulic hoses to and from the transmission are required.